Gripping locomotive for suspended railway

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a series of different types of electrically driven trolley devices arranged to be suspended from and driven along a network of overhead trackways by frictional drive rollers. The trolleys disclosed may be driven in alternate manners by the frictional drive rollers either engaging the upper flange of the trackway as well as the lower flange thereof or only by engagement with the lower flange of the trackway. Current is derived from a cart which may be arranged to travel with the trolley or by electricifying portions of the trackways per se. Also revealed is a system of trackway controlling switches for moving the trolleys from horizontal to vertical directions and through junction points therebetween as well as means by which one trolley can pass another in the network system when desirable. Herein is also disclosed a system for accumulating containers of a particular design adjacent to a vertical shaft the accumulation area including mechanism for shifting the containers from a horizontal plane relative to the accumulation area and into the shaft to be attached to a trolley or for removing the containers from the trolleys to be returned to the accumulation area. Further, also disclosed is a support structure for novel containers which is controlled electrically to prevent the containers from deviating from desired positions while in transit on the trackway.

United States Patent [191 Borst 51 Nov. 27, 1973 GRIPPING LOCOMOTIVE FOR SUSPENDED RAILWAY Inventor:

Adolf H. Borst, Alte Steige, 7441 Altenriet, Germany Filed: Jan. 13, 1971 Appl. N0.: 106,222

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1896 Feldman 105/153 X 3/1899 Henquin 191/48 X 7/1970 105/153 X 3,568,605 3/1970 Pettit 105/153 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 432,859 8/1926 Germany 105/153 Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examinerl-loward Beltran Attorney-Edwin E. Greigg [5 7 ABSTRACT This invention relates to a series of different types of electrically driven trolley devices arranged to be suspended from and driven along a network of overhead trackways by frictional drive rollers. The trolleys disclosed may be driven in alternate manners by the frictional drive rollers either engaging the upper flange of the trackway as well as the lower flange thereof or only by engagement with the lower flange of the trackway. Current is derived from a cart which may be arranged to travel with the trolley or by electricifying portions of the trackways per se. Also revealed is a system of trackway controlling switches for moving the trolleys from horizontal to vertical directions and through junction points therebetween as well as means by which one trolley can pass another in the network system when desirable. Herein is also disclosed a system for accumulating containers of a particular design adjacent to a vertical shaft the accumulation area in cluding mechanism for shifting the containers from a horizontal plane relative to the accumulation area and into the shaft to be attached to a trolley or for removing the containers from the trolleys to be returned to the accumulation area. Further, also disclosed is a support structure for novel containers which is controlled electrically to prevent the containers from deviating from desired positions while in transit on the trackway.

45 Claims, 52 Drawing Figures PAMNIEEm-vzmsn v 3.774.548

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SHEET 180F 27 

1. A tiltable trolley mechanism for overhead railways having a driving motor means therefor, the combination comprising: a rigid suspension frame arranged to straddle and depend from the offstanding flanges of a suspension rail means, each flange including an upper and a lower surface, and have opposed pairs of wheels mounted thereon for travel on said upper surface; a biased pivotal link means connected to said frame beneath the suspension rail means; a friction drive wheel means rotatably supported by said link means; and drive means connecting said motor means with said frictional drive wheel to cause said trolley mechanism to traverse said railways.
 2. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pivotal link means includes a free end portion received within a control recess formed on said frame for controlling the operation of said link means.
 3. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein said control recess includes a resilient means, said last-named means being interposed between one limiting surface of said control recess and the free end portion of said link means.
 4. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 3, wherein the force of the resilient means and the drive means connecting said motor means with said frictional drive wheel urge said frictional drive wheel into contact with the suspension rail means.
 5. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein said frictional drive means is positioned substantially medially of said opposed pairs of wheels which travel on the upper surfaces.
 6. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the suspension rail includes an upstanding web portion, and wherein said frame is further arranged to have mounted thereon opposed roller means that travel in engagement with the web portion, whereby lateral swinging motion of said frame is reduced.
 7. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein dual frictional drive means, comprising said frictional drive wheel and a second frictional drive means, are interposed between said opposed pairs of wheels and are arranged to be driven by said motor means.
 8. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 7, wherein said dual frictional drive means are associated with rocker arm means on said frame.
 9. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 8, wherein said link means and said rocker arm means are interconnected by lever means.
 10. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 9, wherein said lever means is pivotally mounted on said frame adjacent to said dual frictional drive means.
 11. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driving motor means is arranged to receive electrical power from a current cart means associated with the suspension rail means.
 12. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 11, wherein the current cart means is arranged to traverse the suspension rail means together with said trolley mechanism.
 13. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 11, wherein the suspension rail means includes web means and the current cart traverses on means affixed thereto.
 14. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 11, wherein the electrical power from the current car is transmitted through lost motion means to the motor means.
 15. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 11, wherein the current cart includes dual current supply, one of said currents being arranged for driving the trolley and the other being arranged for steering thereof.
 16. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 11, wherein the current cart means is arranged to support means straddling said suspension rail means.
 17. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 16, wherein the support means for said current cart includes supplemental drive means.
 18. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the suspension frame for the Trolley mechanism includes cargo carrier means arranged to depend therefrom.
 19. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 18, wherein the cargo carrier means includes means arranged to cooperate with at least one secondary trackway means which extend parallel to the suspension rail means.
 20. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 18, wherein the suspension frame includes impulse transmitter means.
 21. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 20, wherein the cargo carrier further includes other motor means adapted to receive current from said impulse transmitter means.
 22. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 18, wherein the cargo carrier means includes power means for controlling the path of travel thereof.
 23. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 22, wherein the power means for controlling the path of travel of the cargo carrier includes endless drive means.
 24. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the suspension rail means includes impulse transmitter means.
 25. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the suspension rail means includes a web element having oppositely extending surfaces each of which has affixed thereto supplemental parallel rail means, said parallel rail means arranged to slidably support a current collector.
 26. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 25, wherein the current collector includes means to grasp the rail means.
 27. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 25, wherein the curent collector includes resilient means.
 28. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 27, wherein the resilient means surround conductor means.
 29. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the suspension frame is arranged to support a yoke means, said yoke means including means to support a container in a dependent position.
 30. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 29, wherein the means arranged to support a container in a dependent position includes means to control the deviation thereof.
 31. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 30, wherein the means to control the deviation of the container includes second motor means.
 32. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 31, wherein the second motor means includes means to control the operation of the motor means.
 33. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 30, wherein the means to control the deivation of the means arranged to support the container includes a pendulum means.
 34. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 30, wherein the means to control deviation of the containers includes a brake means.
 35. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor means is carried by the link means.
 36. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 35, wherein the link means includes idler means.
 37. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 35, wherein the frictional wheel means is coaxially arranged with other frictional drive wheel means.
 38. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 37, wherein said frictional drive wheel means and said other frictional drive wheel means have different angular momentums and circumferential speeds.
 39. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 37, wherein said other frictional drive wheel means has a larger radius than said frictional drive wheel means.
 40. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frictional drive wheel means includes axle means rotatably associated with said frame, and secondary frictional drive means are positioned above said first frictional drive wheel means.
 41. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 40, wherein the secondary frictional drive means includes means to drive the same independently of the frictional drive wheel means.
 42. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 40, wherein the secondary frictional driVe wheel means is arranged to be driven by means lying in a plane adjacent to the axis of said frictional drive wheel means.
 43. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower surface of the suspension rail means includes a supplemental rail.
 44. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive means includes idler means.
 45. A tiltable trolley mechanism as claimed in claim 44, wherein the idler means is associated with the suspension frame. 